The present invention relates to headlight for vehicle for producing a low beam and at least one light beam with a greater range.
A headlight of this type is disclosed for example in the patent document DE 44 35 507 A1. This headlight has a light source and a reflector, which forms a headlight insert. The headlight has an electrical adjusting device for adjusting the relative position between the light source and the reflector in order to provide the low beam and the light beam with a greater distance. The headlight also has a light width adjusting device, which is operative for turning the headlight insert for adjusting the light width of the light bundle emitted by the headlight about an at least approximately horizontally extending axis. In the case of a faulty function of the adjusting device, the relative position between the light source and the reflector remains within the position which is predetermined for producing the light beam with the greater distance, whereby in countertraffic a blinding is caused, which must be avoided.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a headlight of the above mentioned general type which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
In keeping with these objects and with others which will become apparent hereinafter, one feature of present invention resides, briefly stated in a headlight which has a safety device for monitoring at least indirectly the operation of the adjusting device, and in the event of a failure when the adjusting device does not operate in an orderly function, the electrical power with which the light source is operated is reduced and/or the distance of the light beam produced by the headlight insert is reduced.
When the headlight is designed in accordance with the present invention, the safety device recognizing a faulty functioning of the adjusting device, and a blinding of the countertraffic can be avoided. This can be performed by reducing the power with which the light source is operated and/or by turning the headlight insert downwardly by the light width adjusting device for reducing the light width.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.